It is known to use egress windows in various passenger vehicles, such as buses, railroad passenger cars and the like, to provide auxiliary means of egress for passengers to exit the vehicle quickly with little effort. Typically, such windows include a glazing panel in a frame hinged along one edge to the wall of the vehicle and a latch mechanism to releasably hold the framed panel in the closed position. By operation of the latch mechanisms the window can be quickly unlocked or disengaged and removed or allowed to pivot outward, thereby allowing passengers to leave the vehicle through the window opening. In motor vehicle applications, e.g., for use in passenger buses and the like, latching egress window assemblies of this type often must meet stringent specifications with respect to preventing unintended opening under substantial loading. Also, they must provide a watertight seal against the weather. Often, they also must meet other requirements, e.g., for low vibration noise, etc.
Various egress window designs and associated latch mechanisms are known. In the egress windows of U.S. Pat. No. 3,942,286, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes, a latch assembly comprises a release bar hingedly mounted to the frame of a window. The release bar is snap-fit over a keeper bar such that lifting the release bar allows the window to be opened. The egress windows of U.S. Pat. No. 4,313,280, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes, have an adjustable keeper. Another known egress window assembly design employs a keeper mounted to a wall, a release bar with a show surface (i.e., a surface exposed to the view of passengers) mounted to a lower frame of the window assembly and a release bar retention block to hold the release bar in an up position, keeping the release bar from contacting the wall and possibly damaging the show surface of the release bar when the window is pivoted. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,941,022, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes, egress windows are disclosed employing an improved latch assembly having enhanced latch strength and improved release bar retention to prevent scuffing or scratching of the interior show surface of the release bar. In certain exemplary embodiments of such egress windows, the window can be closed and a latch member engaged without returning the release bar to its full down position.
Improvements are needed or desired in egress windows, especially in egress windows for passenger vehicles, such as buses, railroad passenger cars and the like. In general, for example, improved performance is sought in the protection of the lock or latch mechanism against the infiltration of contaminates during use over time. In addition, egress windows are wanted which require reduced opening effort once the latch is released, i.e., reduced push out effort. It is an object of the present invention to provide egress windows having some or all of these performance improvements. Additional objectives will become apparent from the following disclosure.